I noticed him in the cafeteria at lunch where he was sat with the rest of his family, as per usual all at a table by themselves. Thankfully he wasn't staring over in my direction at this point. I was shocked by how annoyed I was feeling. I mean, I guess it was good I hadn't driven him out of school or anything but I was finally starting to find my footing here in Forks, and I didn't relish the idea of having to sit next to a guy glaring at me with intense rage for an hour.
Anyway I decided to ignore him, and continued chatting to the others where Mike was saying something about possibly going to La Push in a couple of weeks time when the weather was supposed to be nice and I agreed with the others that I would be up for it.
I made my way to Biology, chatting with Angela and Mike as we all entered the classroom and saw Edward Cullen sat in his usual seat.
"Good luck." Mike grinned as he walked off to his seat while Angela patted my arm softly before heading to hers. I took a quick breath and headed over, sitting down and determined to completely ignore whatever glares he sent my way when the strangest thing happened.
"Hello." Edward said, shocking me momentarily. I turned and looked at him.
"Er hi." I replied, unsure what was happening.
"I don't think I made a polite impression last week. I wasn't feeling myself and I'd like to start again." He said, looking straight at me. "I'm Edward Cullen, nice to meet you Aaron Swan."
What the hell was going on?
"Um thanks. You too." I replied, probably a couple of seconds too late. However this didn't seem to faze him.
"So where is it you are from originally? Arizona right?"
"Yeah um, Phoenix actually."
"You must enjoy the sun then? Shame to move to a place like Forks where it's always raining." He smiled softly. Is he honestly talking to me about the weather?
"Not really. I don't mind rain, or the cold."
"Is that true?"
"Yeah. When it rains or it's cold, all you need to do is cover yourself up more. When it's too hot there's nothing you can really do about it, except take clothes off." Jesus, now I'm talking about the weather. What is happening right now?
"So is that why you moved to Forks? For the weather?" He grinned again as I stared at him, truly confused.
"What's with the twenty questions?" I asked, and he looked shocked in return.
"I'm sorry," he replied "I didn't mean to bother you, I was just trying to get to know you better."
"Oh no, it's er, fine." I replied. An awkward moment of silence happened between us, when the teacher started handing out microscopes and told us to work in pairs. Thankfully I had done the experiment before, so I looked straight at the first slide we had to identify.
"Prophase." I said as I marked it down, when Edward turned to me.
"Mind if I have a look?"
"Sure. Knock yourself out." I replied, passing the microscope towards him where he proceeded to check it himself.
"Prophase. Correct." He then took the slide out and we started to identify the next few. It was then that I noticed something odd about him.
"Did you get contacts?"
"I'm sorry?" He stared, clearly puzzled.
"Your eyes it's just… they look different?" I said and indeed they did. I had remembered them being all black and severe, but now they appeared almost golden.
"No they just, sometimes look a bit different." He replied, muttering to himself as he looked away. I took a moment before responding. Clearly he was hiding something but I decided to move past it. After all he was trying to make an effort with me so I should do the same.
"So you have a large family then?" I asked, and he looked back at me, again as if the question was confusing.
"Yes I do. Two sisters and two brothers."
"And you're the youngest right?"
"Sometimes I feel like I'm the oldest." He grinned to himself softly, before looking back at me.
"How about you, any siblings?"
"Nope. Only child. Though I'm close to my cousin Bella back in Phoenix, she's the same age as me and we mostly grew up together."
"So why did you move to Forks?" He asked again, and I paused trying to work out how to answer.
"I dunno, change of scenery." I shrugged. "Lots of things happened, needed somewhere new to go and my Uncle Charlie agreed to take me in." I could feel myself pulling the sleeves of my jumper over my hands as I talked but tried to ignore it. However I saw that Edward was noticing it but thankfully he said nothing. Instead he continued his line of questioning.
"And your parents were okay with it?"
"No, they're dead." I muttered, surprised at how matter-of-fact I said it.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"No it's okay, my dad died when I was 2 so I don't remember him."
"And you're mother?"
"Just over 3 weeks ago." I replied, shocked again at my honesty. I hadn't even discussed this with Angela or Mike yet, so why the hell was I telling Edward Cullen of all people?
He remained silent, clearly unsure what to say and I couldn't blame him. After all, that's a lot to just blurt out at someone.
"My parents are both dead." He replied, almost as matter-of-fact as I had. I turned completely surprised at his remark as he continued talking. "My birth parents that is, not my foster parents. They died a long time ago so I don't remember them clearly. I've been lucky though, Carlisle and Esme are the best parents I could have ever hoped for."
Edward then paused, a look of shock over his face like he too had not been prepared to confess so much. We both sat still for a moment, before I spoke.
"Listen, about last week. I shouldn't have tried to hit you."
"Don't worry about it. My behaviour left much to be desired."
"Still. Sorry." I said, turning to look at him.
"I'm sorry too." He replied, looking at me. We stayed like this for a brief moment until the teacher came over.
"Finished I see? You couldn't let Aaron have a chance at the microscope then Edward?" The teacher sneered, and made me instantly dislike him. I was about to respond when Edward did it for me.
"Actually Aaron identified three out of the five slides."
The teacher paused for a second and looked at me.
"Have you done this experiment before?"
"Not with onion root." I replied, grinning a little too smugly at the teacher, who merely nodded and walked off.
"You have a bit of a temper." Edward grinned, having watched me during the entire exchange.
"I'm not the only one." I replied, reminding him of the week earlier.
"That is true." Edward nodded. The rest of the lesson then went by in silence, until the bell rang and Edward started to speak again. "Aaron, it has been good getting to know you a bit better. But it would be best if we were not friends."
What? I thought. This guy was confusing me so much with the way he acted and spoke, that I merely just shrugged.
"That's fine. You don't have to talk to me if you don't want too."
"It's not that I don't want to." He responded rather quickly. "It's just it would be best for your sake if we're not friends."
"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked. "You know being cryptic isn't smart or mysterious, it's just plain annoying." I then stood up and grabbed my bag, while Edward looked at me almost stunned. Before he could say anything else, I was out of the door and heading straight to my next class.
I was walking so fast I could barely keep it together. Why was I so annoyed? I mean sure the guy spoke weirdly and in riddles, but at least he was polite this time and not some psychotically acting goon. Though thinking about it, he still seemed rather stiff. Maybe he was still ill? And if he didn't want to be friends, then why even speak to me and ask questions about my life? And divulge information in return about his?
I then froze when I got to the next class. Crap I forgot, it was Gym – stressing over Edward Cullen would have to wait, I had more dangerous issues to face.
Is there any word that imposes such a sense of hatred and misery as Dodgeball?
The game was a nightmare, I got knocked out each round including one rather spectacular fall where I tripped backwards and the ball I had managed to somehow catch flew up in the hair and landed right back on my face. Mike found this hilarious, and I found it funny when I tripped him over five minutes later.
Afterwards in the changing room, he was complaining rather loudly to me about it, but he was grinning the whole time so I knew he didn't really care.
"I was this close! Almost won and you ruined it for me, cheater." Mike laughed as we both started getting changed.
"You're fault for laughing, and not looking where you're going too." I grinned back. We carried on changing for a moment when he looked over at my arms.
"So do you ever take those wrist bands off?" Mike asked, starring at the series of bands I had used to cover up my scars. After the incident with Cullen, I wasn't going to trust long sleeved shirts by themselves again.
"No because they are the source of all my power!" I shouted out dramatically causing Mike to laugh. Thankfully it was enough for him to change the topic once again.
"So you know Jessica is going to ask you to the dance in a few weeks right Swan?" Mike said, clearly looking for a reaction from me and noticing my confused expression.
"Why would she do that?" I replied and Mike laughed again.
"Because. She. Wants. To. Get. With. You." Mike said, pronouncing every word like I was an idiot. "And Lauren too, I think they're gonna cat fight if we're lucky."
"No need, I like Jessica and Lauren's…." I paused thinking for the right word. "Fine. But I don't like either of them that way."
"Cause you like Angela?" Mike raised his eyebrows and I glared at him.
"As a friend. Guys and girls can be friends you know." I said while he merely shrugged. A few more moments passed until he then turned again, as if he was going to say something, but stopped.
"Just spit it out Newton." I said and he smirked slightly before answering me.
"It's nothing I just… noticed you and Edward Cullen seemed to be chatting a lot in Biology." He raised his eyebrow again, as if he was trying to get a reaction.
"Yeah he seemed to have a personality switch or something, I dunno." I replied, but still noticing Mike's strange look. "Why, what are you implying?"
"Me, nothing!" Mike replied quickly. "But if by chance I was implying something, well it's cool, whatever!" He then finished changing and turned to me, his fist raised for another bump. "See you later Swan."
"Sure Newton." I fist bumped him back and he started to walk off when he quickly turned back around to face me.
"By the way Aaron," He began. "If you wanted to take someone… I dunno… unconventional to the dance, then I think you should do what you want!"
"Er ok." I muttered. What on earth was Mike talking about?
"But personally," Mike began. "I think you can do better than Edward Cullen." He then shrugged and walked out, while I stood there confused.
I can do better than Edward Cullen? What the hell does…
Holy crap he thinks I'm gay!
I stayed stunned for a moment. Gay? I mean, sure jury was still out on Edward Cullen but I'm thinking he's more of a bipolar steroid junkie than a brooding closeted homosexual but me? I wasn't gay… like I know I don't fancy any girls but still that doesn't mean…
"I might be gay." I spoke aloud without thinking.
Yeah… that actually might make sense come to think about it.